The Sweet Spot of Frugal

Without overtly saying so, a typical theme on my website at Backdoor Survival and others like it is saving money. Whether it is making your own household products, finding new ways to repurpose old things, or showing you how to build stuff yourself, saving money is something widely promoted on most credible prepping and homesteading websites.

The truth is, being frugal simply makes sense. These are uncertain times and regardless of how fat your bank account, even the teeniest economic calamity will throw our lives into turmoil.

Some may say that being frugal is being cheap but the truth is, being frugal is an important part of being self-sufficient. Every prepper I know has the singular goal of taking care of their own needs with only nominal reliance on governments, politicians, Wall Street, supermarkets and shopping malls. That is my goal and if you are reading this, is undoubtedly your goal as well.

But how does it all come together? Surely there is a point where being frugal moves beyond being a burden and instead becomes part of an important quest for a better life. Finding this point – and mind you the exact point will differ from person to person – is what I like to call the sweet spot of frugal.

Frugal is a State of Mind

I have always maintained that living a frugal lifestyle means living a life without waste. It means being economical when it comes to utilizing resources (money, power, water, even words) so that those same resources can be spent on things that matter. And that is the crux of the deal: what matters to one person may be insignificant, excessive or even wasteful to someone else. It all gets down to choices.

You can be rich and be frugal. You can be poor and be a wasteful spendthrift. At the end of the day, frugal is a state of mind.

Wikipedia defines frugality as the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourcefully using already owned economic goods and services, to achieve a longer term goal.

Definitions aside, what does it mean to be frugal?

Six Ways to Be Frugal

1. Understand the difference between need and want.

There is not a darn thing wrong with wanting something. Where people get into trouble is failing to recognize and understand the difference between need and want. Needs are things that are required to live your life. Food, clothing and shelter, with all of their permutations, fall into the “need” bucket.

On the other hand, the want bucket includes a new car, a larger house, 20 different pairs of shoes and a vacation trip to Paris. There is nothing wrong with these things if you can afford them without sacrificing your needs or going in to debt.

2. Live Simply For the Sake of It

There is a special joy in living simply. That means eating , plain, wholesome foods (think soups, stews and garden fresh vegetables). It means creating your own household and personal care products. And it means pursuing family-oriented hobbies such as camping, fishing, hunting and even board games.

By choosing simplicity, you save money and are frugal by default. You live a life of doing rather than spending. Which gets us to the next point . . .

3. Do It Yourself

Whether you are you are growing your own food, remodeling your own home, or simply walking to your destination instead of driving, being frugal means you do things yourself, without reliance on others. Not everything, mind you. But some things. The important things. Things that give you satisfaction as well as the financial freedom you crave.

4. Use What You Have

Madison Avenue has bombarded us with gadgets and gizmos. Truthfully, do you really need that top of the line food processor to chop veggies when a solid chef’s knife will do? Do you really need a computer, a tablet, a Kindle, and an iPhone to browse the internet and jump on Facebook?

The 20th century spoiled us and now, well into the 21st century, our thirst for the latest and greatest has become part of our culture. Get over it!

Whatever you do, try not to get caught up in thinking that you need the newest, the biggest and the best. Sometimes the tools, gadgets and gizmos you already own are as good or better than anything new you can but. Just make sure that you take the time to learn how to use them. You just might be surprised at what they can do.

5. Repurpose the Old

When an item has served its useful life, look at it with new eyes. Can an old table be refinished? What about that old shirt? Can it be used while working outdoors in the yard or can it be cut up and used as rags?

No one wants to be a packrat, or heaven forbid, a hoarder, and collect useless old stuff, but give some consideration to the fact that the reason your discarded possessions are useless is that you purchased replacement items due to want and not need.

If that describes you, consider passing the useful but no longer needed items on to a family member or friend. Or sell them on Craigslist or Ebay, or donate the item to charity. Just remember that the right thing to do is clean up and repair your used items first so that they are serviceable. Don’t foist garbage on others.

6. Don’t Go Broke When Gifting

Gift giving is often a rote activity, mired in obligation rather than fondness and the desire to make someone happy. Once you jump off of the gilded gift-giving wagon, you might actually enjoy and look forward to the gift-giving process.

Make it a point to give gifts that are thoughtful and practical. Better yet, give the gift of memories or the gift of yourself. Ask yourself whether, in the big picture of life, will the recipient recall a special picnic you shared together or that expensive trinket that maxed out your credit card? Will they remember the time you took care of their children while they went on a much needed vacation or that expensive, but unwanted sweater that languishes unworn in the back of a closet?

When it comes to gifting, be practical and be simple. At the same time, ensure that your gift reflects your values and is not something that speaks of obligation rather than caring.

The Final Word – Embrace the Sweet Spot of Frugal

Are these the only steps towards becoming frugal? Of course not. On the other hand, they are easy things you can do now without adding complications to a life that is already to busy, too cluttered and too chaotic.

Before closing, I would like to share one last point. Never giving in to the wants in life – no matter how foolish and irresponsible it may seem to someone else – is stupid. Are you surprised by that?

Here is the deal. Life is for living in the here and now. That means that an occasional indulgence is okay. I give you permission for that. That said, most of the time, make your indulgences simple things that cost little money. But if you really, really want something and you can afford it, give in once in awhile. Think about it, dream about it, and then do it.

Life is to be enjoyed. The secret is to find the ultimate sweet spot of frugal that is right for you.

Until next time, make every day a prepping day!

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!Gaye

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Bargain Bin: The article I wrote on DIY cleaning turned out to be hugely popular all around the web. In cased you missed it, here is a link to the article Prepper Checklist: DIY Cleaning Suppliesand to some of the products that I use to make my own cleaners.

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Mobile Washer: This is hand operated washing machine. Like a plunger, it uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through clothes to clean them well without wearing them out. It uses a minimum of water and less soap due to the agitation motion. Use in a bucket (5-gallon suggested), sink or tub. The best part is that it is only $14.95.

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Comments

Just remember, frugal buying does not mean buying cheap! Frugal buying means buying quality at the lowest price you can find. Even if that is more expensive than the inexpensive look-alike. Quality lasts and is worth the extra expense!

I dont know where to put this thought I just had, so I’ll dump it here.
I was just putting some cheap cushion inserts in my shoes, I have hard orthotics, this is just for over the tops of them. When SHTF, shoes are going to be hard to come by. Im not a big advocate of used shoes, BUT Id rather have used ones than no shoes/boots. Im thinking it might be a good idea to buy at resale shops, leather shoes and or boots every once in a while, just to have a few spares. Even these cheap inserts might go a ways to have some comfort in some old ones. Unless of coarse you happen to be a cobbler! Just a thought. I’ll go feed my chickens now 🙂

I have to laugh. I’m not sure just where I fit here. From the time as a little girl, my dad said I could make Lincoln cry. I guess that means I use my resource thriftily since I was a young thing. lol When I see a sale, I buy. An example, 20 years ago, I bought 9 yards of heavyweight denim. Don’t remember what I had in mind. I’ve kept it with me through several moves, then just a few years ago, I was needing some heavyduty fabric for something. Not only did I have enough but I was able to make 2 of the same thing; so when one gets dirty, one goes in the wash and the other is used.
Never thought it was anything, I do know some people didn’t understand me reusing and recycling before it was trendy to do so. I just find it fun to create something out of things. FYI: can’t be a hoarder since I have limited space so before something new comes in, I have to figure what leaves…no extra cleaning that way, just using what’s around. 😉

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MEET GAYE

I'm Gaye, just an ordinary gal trying to make sense of our changing world. I am addicted to prepping, DIY projects, adult coloring books, and ballroom dancing. I live what I call a strategic life and believe you should too. Everyone needs to prepare for the worst and live for the best. Won't you join me?

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